iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 10/10/2026

Your eyes detect when darkness falls, triggering the brain to produce melatonin. But do supplements always have the same effect?

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Thinking of taking melatonin to help you sleep? Here’s what you need to know

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 09/10/2026

You can get fit relatively fast, but it takes a while for your muscles and tendons to catch up. Here’s what you can do.

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Why do runners get so many injuries? And does strength training really make a difference?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 10/10/2026

Protein is famous for filling us up and helping us stay full between meals. But fibre does this too – and most of us are not getting enough.

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Which is more filling, protein or fibre?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 10/10/2026

Magda Szubanski’s books are not conventional celebrity memoirs. She doesn’t name-drop or frame her story as one of triumph.

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‘A hard, hard book to write’: Magda Szubanski on trauma, cancer and the cost of coming out

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 07/10/2026

Pneumonic plague was feared by humans for centuries before the advent of modern antibiotic treatments

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Medicine and God: how medieval people faced the deadly pneumonic plague

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 07/10/2026

There are conflicting reports about what caused the death of a lab technician in a Russian plague research institute. Here’s what you need to know.

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The death of a Russian plague researcher, explained by a microbiologist

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 05/10/2026

The basics are the same: be respectful and don’t make assumptions. But these practical tips can make conversations more meaningful and less distressing.

theconversation.com

Slow down, reminisce if it feels right: practical tips for talking to people with dementia

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 03/10/2026

Here’s what over 150 years of science really tells us about being left-brained vs right-brained.

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Are right-brained people really more creative? Here’s what the science really tells us

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 02/10/2026

Hilary McPhee co-founded McPhee Gribble, the legendary Australian publishing house responsible for Monkey Grip, Puberty Blues and Cloudstreet.

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Literary pioneer Hilary McPhee launched Helen Garner, published Cloudstreet – and inspired me

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 29/09/2026

Four viruses and one bacteria were responsible for 12% of the world’s cancer cases in 2024. Does this mean they’re preventable?

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One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 30/09/2026

In one research project, more than 93% of stage managers interviewed said they had ‘probably’ or ‘definitely’ experienced burnout.

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Stage manager is arguably the most stressful job in live performance. Here’s why

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 29/09/2026

Diets like the Fast 800 or intermittent fasting have become popular ways to lose weight. But they’re not long-term solutions.

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Do calorie-restricted diets work? Or will I just re-gain the weight?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 28/09/2026

People with rigid thinking patterns who prefer routine and order may be drawn to extremist groups’ black-and-white solutions. But autism itself is not the problem.

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Are autistic people more vulnerable to extremist content?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026

The high cost of housing is also keeping half of young adults up to age 29 living with their parents.

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Housing stress is on the rise: 7 essential charts from this year’s HILDA survey

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026

Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, can pass from mother to baby in pregnancy and cause hearing loss, cerebral palsy or other lifelong disabilities. But it can be prevented.

theconversation.com

CMV infection can pass from mother to baby during pregnancy. Here’s how to prevent it

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026

The NSW government is moving to curb rape myths in trials to reduce the impact on victim-survivors and increase the likelihood of justice being done.

theconversation.com

Rape myths shape how we respond to sexual violence. What are they and what impact do they have?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026

In inquiries and reviews, governments endlessly ask Indigenous communities what should be done, but rarely act on it. It’s time that changed.

theconversation.com

Governments across Australia know how to stop violence against Indigenous women, they just don’t do it

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 22/09/2026

Some people with obsessive-compulsive disorder have experienced traumatic events as children, and develop a deeply held fear of who they are or might become.

theconversation.com

What kind of a person am I? How fear and rejection can underpin OCD

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 22/09/2026

There’s been a late rise of influenza A, mostly due to the ‘super K’ strain.

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No, you’re not imagining it. Flu season is late and cases are up

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 13/09/2026

New evidence shows more people might benefit from this cholesterol-lowering medication than we previously thought. But that doesn’t mean everyone should take one.

theconversation.com

What are statins? And can healthy people use them to prevent heart disease and dementia?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 14/09/2026

Data centres were once treated as invisible pieces of digital infrastructure. Now, they’re the focus of intense political debate.

theconversation.com

Data centres have existed for decades. So why are they so controversial now?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 12/09/2026

Parents play a vital role in educating young people about sex, sexuality and pornography. But where do you start?

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How to talk to your kids about edgy or violent porn in an age-appropriate way

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 09/09/2026

A messy room isn’t usually created by one great act of mess-making. It results from hundreds of tiny behaviours.

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Can a messy person become a tidy person? Or are we doomed?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 10/09/2026

Mozzies are causing Buruli ulcers in more parts of Australia. New research suggests a mosquito control can help reduce risks in future.

theconversation.com

Mozzies are causing Buruli ulcers in more parts of Australia. Here’s what you need to know

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 08/09/2026

Ovarian cancer has a particularly poor survival rate. Only one in two women will live five years beyond their diagnosis.

theconversation.com

Can removing your fallopian tubes really reduce your risk of ovarian cancer?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 08/09/2026

Around one in three women report their birth experience as traumatic. And it’s not always related to medical emergencies.

theconversation.com

Does debriefing about a difficult birth stop it turning into trauma?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 07/09/2026

Here’s what inflatable operators are supposed to do – and where the risks arise.

theconversation.com

Are jumping castles safe? An amusement ride safety expert explains

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 07/09/2026

R U OK? Day is Australia’s most recognisable mental health campaign. A study using nine years of data looked at how it affected wellbeing and access to care.

theconversation.com

Does ‘R U OK? Day’ actually improve people’s mental health?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 02/09/2026

A new approach could allow even the most aggressive forms of ovarian cancer to be detected in their early stages.

theconversation.com

Ovarian cancer is hard to detect. Focusing on these 4 symptoms can help with diagnosis

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 02/09/2026

As a supporter or friend, you don’t need to have the answers, and you shouldn’t speculate. Here’s how to just be there and offer practical support.

theconversation.com

Families waiting for news from Nepal and Tibet will feel both hope and despair – and this can change minute to minute

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 26/08/2026

It might be tempting to focus on your ‘good days’. But here’s what to keep in mind when an assessor asks about your health and everyday life.

theconversation.com

Here’s what to keep in mind before and after an aged care assessment

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 25/08/2026

Tinned tuna is affordable, high in protein and doesn’t need cooking, making it a convenient and nutritious lunchtime staple. Here’s how much you can eat.

theconversation.com

Can you eat too much tinned tuna?

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 25/08/2026

Having larger in-person networks appeared to protect young people against developing severe depression symptoms. But large online networks had the opposite effect.

theconversation.com

Knowing someone who attempted suicide raises young people’s own risk – new study

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 21/08/2026

Pressure to hold the family together, visa worries and fear of social exclusion can make it harder to leave abusive relationships.

theconversation.com

Leaving abusive relationships can be harder for migrant women. Here’s what they need to feel safe

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 21/08/2026

On-call work doesn’t always mean responding to an emergency. But you typically have to switch into work mode very quickly – so it can be hard to fully switch off.

theconversation.com

How being ‘on-call’ for work can disrupt your sleep – even if the call never comes

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 19/08/2026

A new study showed that for people who were susceptible to psychosis, cannabis use in their 30s was associated with an earlier onset of psychosis by 6.3 years.

theconversation.com

Cannabis isn’t ‘safer’ in your 20s and 30s – it’s linked to an earlier onset of psychosis

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 20/08/2026

Do you hear ‘psychotherapy’ and imagine lying on a couch, talking about dreams? Here’s where that image comes from – and why it might be time for an update.